Store-service apparatus.



No. 621,603.. Patented lune 27, |899y ,G. STAIB. A STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

(Application led July 20, 1898.)

UNITED STATESVl PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV STAIB, NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. 627,603, dated June 2v, 189e.

Application Bletl July 20,1898.' Serial No. 686,409. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that LGUSTAV STAIB, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York` city,borough of Richinond,State of New York, A have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of. which the following is a specification.

My invention relates Inore particularly to the class of store-service, apparatus adapted to carry packages,'&c.; and to this end thel invention consists in an apparatus comprising, a rail adapted to move longitudinally, means for supporting said rail, arrangedto alter its direction of inclination, according to which direction the rail may be moved, stops depending from the rail, and abutments below the rail to be engaged by said stops to cause the rail to come to rest in a normally operative position.

The invention also consists in an improved clamping device adapted to be rmly attached 'to a wire, whereby when said clamping device is attached to the 'rail the wire will be securely connected therewith.

The invention further consists in the novel details of improvement and the combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a store-serv. ice apparatus embodying my invention. Fig.v 2 is an enlarged detail of the carrier receiv` ing and projecting devices at a station. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side View of the de-E vices that support the rail, showing also the connection of the receiving-wire with the r'ail. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail end View of the cap or clamppiece that holds the wire upon the connect-ion attached lto the rail. Fig. Gis a section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 3, showing the parts fas` tened together. Fig. 7 is a detail plan Aview of the connection between the wire and the rail, with the cap or clamp-piece removed. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the end of the wire that receives the carrier from the rail., Fig.. 9 illustrates in detail section the devices I have shown for connecting the carrier-receiving wire with the operating connection.

pending froma ceiling 2, to which they may be suitably attached. In the drawings I have shown two such supports 1, which are in the form of rods screwed to plates 3, secured to the ceiling, and at the lower ends these supports have an arm 4, projecting at right angles thereto, the parts 1 and'4 being shown secured together by means of a threaded end 1, entering a threaded socket in the arm 4. (See Fig. 4.) The arm 4 forms a support for a guidev or link 5, and for this purpose the arm is shown provided with a reduced portion 4a, forming a shoulder 4", the part 4 serving as a pivot for the link 5, upon which said link is journaled, a pin 4Cserving to hold4 the link in position. By preference the link 5 is in the form of a yoke having two arms 5 5b, betweenwhich arms a rail 6 is located and adapted to move back and forth. The railis shown pivoted, as at 7, to links or yokes 5, (see'Fig. 4,) although it is evident that if the links or yokes 5 were not pivoted to the arms 4 and rail 6, but held rigidly to said arms, the rail 5 could slide between the arms of 'said links or yokes, the latter acting as guides for said rail in both instances. `The links or yokes 5 are shown connected with therail 6 in such manner that when one link is vertical, as at the right in Fig. l, the other link will be inclined, as at the left in Fig.' 1, and vice versa, or, in other words, the links are so connected with rail 6 as to be at an angle to each other, so that the'rail 6 will stand inclined from one end to the other, whereby a lcarrier may travel along the same bygravity. From this it will be understood that there are two positions of rest Vfor the rail, one in which it inclines from right to left andthe other from left to right.

To the rail 6, adjacent to each link 5, is at- IOO tached a plate or web S, which has a vertical shoulder 9, a horizontal shoulder 10, and an inclined edge 11, leading up to rail (i, which plate is adapted to pass between the arms of the link or yoke and depends from rail 6 and may be attached to the rail by a riveted plate 8fL or otherwise. The arrangement is such that the inclined edges 11 and the vertical edges 9 of these links facein opposite directions, each outwardly or toward the corresponding end of the rail. The horizontal edge 10 of plate or web 8 is adapted to rest upon a roller or support 12, journaled on the arm 4, between the arms of the link or yoke 5. The vertical edge 9 is adapted to abut against said roller or support, so as to limit the movement of the rail or the swing of the links outwardly, and the inclined edge 11 of plate or web S is adapted to ride against and up on the roller 12 as the position of the rail 6 is being altered. For instance, when the rail is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the vertical edge 9 of plate 8 Will bear against the side of roller 12 at the right of the figure, and the horizontal edge 10 will rest upon said roller. In this position when the links or yokesA are pivoted the corresponding link or yoke 5 will be vertical and the link 5 at the opposite end of the rail will be inclined, in which position the inclined edge 11 of plate 8 at that end will bear against the corresponding roller 12. When the position of the rail is to be changed, the same is drawn longitudinally, whereupon the edge 11 of plate 8 at the left will ride up on roller 12 until the edge 9 abuts against said roller, and the edge 11 of plate 8 at the right of Fig. 1 will ride down said roller. Thus the vertical and horizontal edges 9 10 of plate S form a pulled in that direction, the links 5, when pivoted, will turn upon their pivots, so that as one link rises the other link will descend, and thereupon the position of the rail will be reversed; but if the links or yokes 5 are held stationary the rail 6 will slide between their arms, and when the shoulder 9 of plate S, at the end toward which the rail is being drawn, abuts against the corresponding wheel 12 the movement of the rail will be checked and it will remain held in the position set. The rail Gis liable to tilt sidewise between the arms of the links or yokes 5, and thus create friction between said parts, and to reduce such friction I provide antifriction devices shown in the form of rollers 5C 5, that are pivotally carried by the arms 5n 5b of the links or yokes 5, project through the openings 5e in said arms, and are adapted to bear against the rail 6 on plate 8, or. both. The rollers 5c 5l are shown provided with end pivots that are journaled in bearings or blocks 5f, carried by arms 5iL 5b. With this arrangement, if the rail G tilts, the rollers 5 51 will enable the rail to travel freely between the arms of the links or yokes 5.

At one or both ends the rail G is attached to a carrier-receiving connection 14, which is preferably in the form of a wire of suh'icient cross-section to sustain the weight of parcels expected to be carried on the apparatus, and when the carrier passes from the rail G upon the connection 14 it will tend by its weight and momentum to draw the rail 6 in the direction of its movement, thereby automatically transferring the rail from one position of inclination to another. The connection or .wire 14 may be attached to the rail 6 in any suitable manner; but in order to make a rigid and strong connection between said parts without unduly increasing the width at the joint I have provided an arrangement as follows:

15 is a plate or block having a recess 16 in one edge, one side of which is preferably curved at 17, forming a shoulder, and 18 is a groove that follows the shape of the bottoni and curved side of said recess, in which groove the corresponding bent end 19 of connection or wire 14 is adapted to it, as shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 3.

20 is a cap-piece or clamp that has a top or head portion 21, provided with agroove 22 to fit against the corresponding edge of the bent' part 19 of connection 14, and a bifurcated por-A tion 23, that is adapted to straddle the plate or block 15, whereby the head portion 21 may rest down upon the bent portion of the connection or wire 14 in the recess 16 of plate or block 15,-and thus hold the wire in position. The parts 15 and 20 may be held together by means of screws or the like.

It will be seen in Fig. 6 that the head portion 21 of the cap or clamp 20 is the same width as the connection or wire 14, and it is also the same width as the rail, so that a roller passing along said wire may travel smoothly upon the upper edge 15 of plate or block 15 without its flanges being interfered with. This form of connection is very strong, as the bent end of wire 14 is firmly clamped and held between the parts 15 2O and will withstand considerable pull on wire 14, because the parts tend to keep said wire from straightening where it is bent.

The connection I have described is preferably pivoted to the rail 6, for which purpose a rule-joint Gn is preferably provided, having a pivot (5b, (shown in Fig. 7,) so that the width of the parts at the joint need not be increased, whereby the roller can conveniently travel across the joint.

The outer end of the connection or wire 14 is to be supported, and for this purpose I have IOO IOS

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shown said connection as'vbent in the form of a loop or eye 14a, which receives a rod 24, (see Fig.`8,) -suspended from the ceiling or other support and provided with a stop 25, upon which said loop can rest to limit the `downward movement of' the end of the wire 14. .(See Fig. 2.) )Vithin and at the outer end of loop or eye 24 I have shown a roller 24, pivoted in a bar 24h, carried by said loop. (See Fig. S.) Said roller serves to reduce friction between the parts 14 and 24 as the former travels up and down the latter, because the loop 14a moves somewhat on the arc of a circle, and also when a weight is borne by connection 14 the loop is drawn againstthe rod 24.

26 is a rubber or leather washer interposed between the parts 14 and 25 to prevent noise. The stop 25 is preferably adjustable vertically, and for this purpose I utilize-a screw 27, that works in a threaded aperture in said stop and impinges against the rod 24 to-hold the stop in position, and said screw 27 has a hook or eye 27a, to which a rod or wire 2S is attached, which is also connected to a hook 29, secured` to the wall.30 or otherwise arranged so as to resist the lateral movement of rod 24 when the carrier passes upon the connection or wire 14, wherebysaid carrier will be suspended between the rod 24 and the end of the rail 6.

To elevate the connection or wire 14, so as to start the carrier upon its course, as indicated in dotted lines at the right in Fig. 1, I provide a connection 3l, having a handle 32, which connection passes over a pulley 33, suspended from the ceiling 2v or elsewhere, the connection leading to the wire 14. The arrangement I have shown for connecting parts 14 and 31 consists of a clamp 34, formed by means of a metal strip bent into substantially V form to receive the wire 14 at the bottom and also bent horizontally at 35, this horizontal portion having a threaded aperture to receive a screw hook or eye 36, which is adapted to impinge against the wire 14, and to thus lock the clamp 34 to said wire. (See Fig. 9.)

37 is a buer shown in the form of a rubber tube placed around the clamp 34, and it serves to resist the impact of the carrier. The pulley I have shown consists of a plate 38, adapted to be-attached to a support, as a ceiling, and having a pair of lugs 39, between which is pivoted the roller that is hung upon a rod 40, and this rod is shown provided with a hook or eye 41,'to which the rod 24 is attached, whereby said rod is supported. This arrangement saves making additional holes in the ceiling or support for the rod 24 and provides a ready attachment for said rod.

While any suitable type of carrier may be used in connection with my apparatus, I have devised a carrier which is arranged as follows: 42 is a hanger having two parallel arms 43 44 and a hook 45 to receive a basket or receptacle. 46 is a roller having a flat face and preferably provided with a rubber or leather rim or tire 47, which rolleris journaled upon a shaft or pivot 48, carried by the arms 43 44. 49 50 are vertical rollers arranged in pairs, with sufficient space between them to properly receivev the rail 6, (see Fig. 10,) there Ybeing preferably two of such rollers on each side of wheel 46. (See Fig. 11.) To support these rollers, I have shown a rod 51, that passes through the pivot 4S and has depending arms 52, upon which the rollers 49 and 50 are jour-A naled, so that their axes are vertical, and the .lower end of the wires 52 are shown bent sidewise and secured to the arms 43 44 at 53. (See Fig. 10.) While this is a convenient means for journaling the rollers 49 and 50 on the hanger, it is evident that they may be otherwise supported thereon. From this itwill be seen that the wheel 46 travels on the rail 6 and that the rollers 49 50 keep the device properly upon the rail and prevent undue frictional resistance between the parts, the advantage being that I dispense with a grooved roller or wheel, that is customary in this class of devices. In having two rollers 49 50 .on each side of rail 6 the hanger is kept from twisting or turning as it travels.

Where a basket is suspended from a hanger and the hangers suddenly come to rest by running against an abutment, the basket will swing and its handle slide along its hook 45, and thereby the contents of the basket are liable to spill out. To prevent this, I provide the handle 54 of the basket 55 with two lugs or projections 56, that depend from said han- IOO dle and have a space between them to receive Y the hook 45, by which means when the progress of the carrier is suddeulyarrested and the basket starts to swing the lugs or projections 56 will prevent the handle 54 from slipping along the hook 45.

With the apparatus described it will be understood that when the basket travels down the inclined rail upon connection 14 and meets the abutment 37 its weight, or its weight coupled with the impact against said abutment, will tend to draw the rail 6 longitudinally, which will cause it to shift its position from being inclined in one direction to being in- IIC clined in the opposite direction; but if for any reason this does not occur the position of the rail will be changed the neXt time the carrier is to be projected, because when the handle 32 is pulled downwardly and the wire 14 elevated the latter will be also drawn lengthwise, and will thus pull the rail 6, and, as before explained, as the rail6 is pulled the links or yokes 5 will swing upon their pivots or the rail will slide between the arms of the links or yokes, the plate 8 nearest the operaas they may be varied without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail adapted to move longitudinally, and means for supporting said rail arranged to alter its direction of inclination according to which direction the rail may be moved, stops depending from the rail," and abutments below the rail to be engaged by said stops to cause the rail to come to rest in a normally operative position substantially as described.

2. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, guides therefor to permit it to have longitudinal movement, and means for raising and lowering the opposite ends of the rail as it is moved longitudinally, stops depending from the rail, and abutments below the rail to be engaged by said stops to cause the rail to come to rest in a normally operative position substantially as described.

3. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, guides therefor to permit it to move longitudinally, said rail having inclinations extending in opposite directions, and supports or abutments against which said inclinations may bear to cause said rail to be inclined in different directions according to the direction in which it is moved, substantially as described.

4. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, guides therefor to permit it to move 1ongitudinally, plates or webs depending from said rail each having an inclined edge and also a substantially horizontal edge, and supports or abutments for said edges to cause the rail to be inclined in different directions according to the direction of its movement, substantially as described.

5. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, guides therefor to permit it to move longitudinally, plates or webs depending from said rail, each having an inclined edge and also a substantially horizontal edge, supports or abutments for said edges to cause the rail to be inclined in different directions according to the direction of its movement, and stops adapted to cause said rail to come to rest in a normally operative position, substantially as described.

G. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, supports for said rail arranged so that the rail will be inclined from one end to the other in accordance with the position in which the supports extend relatively to each other, stops depending from the rail, and abutments below the rail to be engaged by said stops to cause the rail to come to rest in a normally operative position and means for projecting a carrier along said rail, substantially as described.

7. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotally connected therewith, supports for said links, said links eX- tending at an angle to each other to cause the rail to incline from one end to the other, and means for projecting a carrier along said rail, substantially as described.

8. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links connected therewith, supports for said links, said links being so connected with the rail that when one is vertical the other will be inclined, and vice versa, so as to cause the rail to incline, and means for projecting a carrier along the rail, substantially as described.

9. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotally connected therewith, supports for said links, said links eX- tending at an angle to each other to cause the rail to incline from one end to the other, a stop connected with the rail near each link to cause said links to come to rest in a normally operative position, and means for projecting a carrier along the rail, substantially as described.

10. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotally connected therewith, supports for said links, said links eX- tending at an angle to each other to cause the rail to incline from one end to the other, a combined stop and rest carried by the rail near each link and arranged to cause the links to assume a normally operative position to hold the rail from spontaneous movement, and means for altering the position of the rail, substantially as described.

1l. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotally connected therewith and arranged at an angle to each other, supports for said links, a plate carried by the rail near each link and having a recess at its lower edge, an abutment to enter said recess, and means for altering the position of the rail, substantially as described.

12. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotal] y connected therewith and arranged at an angle to each other, a roller at the pivot of each link, a plate carried by the rail near each link and having a recess to receive said roller, and means for projecting a carrier along the rail, substantially as described.

13. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, guides therefor to perlnitit to move longitudinally, a roller near each guide, and

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plates or webs carried by the rail near each roller and having a recess and an inclined edge to receive said roller, substantially as described.

14. A store-service apparatus comprising a rail, a pair of links pivotally connected therewith and arranged at an angle to each other, a roller at the pivot of each link, a plate carried by the rail near each link and having a recess to receive said roller and an inclined edge to rest against the roller, and means to project a carrier along the rail, substantially as described.

15. In a store-service apparatus the combination of a rail, links pivotally connected IZO so as to change its direction ot inclination- When it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or Aconnection extending from each end of said rail, means for supporting the free ends of said Wires or connections, and means for elevating said Wires or connections to project a carrier along the rail, substantially as de- 17. In a store-service apparatus the combination-of a rail, means for supporting the same so as to change its direction of inclination when it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or connection extending from each end of said rail, a loop at the-free end of each Wire, a rod located in said loop, a stop on said rod for said loop, and a' connection to .resist lateral pull of said rod by said Wire, 4substantially as described.

18. In a store-service apparatus the combination of a rail, means for supporting the same so as to change its direction of inclination when it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or connection extending from each end of said rail, a loop at the free end of each Wire, a rod located in said loop,a stop on said rod consistin g of a block, a screw eye or hook threaded in said block to impinge against said rod, and a connection extending from said eye or hook and connected with a support to resist the lateral movement of said rod, substantially as described. A

19. In a store-service apparatus the combination of a rail, means for supporting the same so as to change its direction of inclination When it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or connection extending from each end of said rail, said wires each having a loop at the free end, a pulley, a rod connected with the supporting part of said pulley and passing into the corresponding loop,and a connection passing from the corresponding Wire over said as described.

20. In a store-service apparatus the combi- 2l. In a store-service apparatus the combination of a rail, means for supporting the same so as to change its direction of inclination when it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or connection extending from each-end of said rail, means for supporting the free ends of said Wires, a clamp secured to the Wire and consisting of a bar bent to form a -recess to receive said rod and having a part extending transversely to said Wire, a screw hook or eye threaded in said part to impinge against said Wire, a connection extending from said hook or eye, anda-pulley for said connection, substantially as described.

22. In a store-service apparatus the combination of a rail, means for supporting the saine so'as to change its direction of inclination When it is moved longitudinally, a Wire or connection extendingfrom each end of said rail, means for supporting the free ends of said Wires, a clamp secured to the Wire and consisting of a bar bent to form a recess to receive said rod and having a part extending transversely to said Wire, a screw hook or eye threaded in said part to impinge against said Wire, a butter consisting of a tube surrounding said clamp, a connection extending from said hook or eye, and a pulley to receive said connection, substantially as described.

23. A clamp for holding a wire comprising a plate or block having a recess provided with a shoulder to receive'the bent portion of a Wire, and a cap or clamp to fit over said recess and to inclose-the Wire, said cap or clamp having a head of approximately the Width ot' Y the Wire substantially as described.

24. A clamp for holding a Wire comprising a plate or block having a recess with a shoulder at one side, a groove passing along said shoulder to receive the bent portion of a Wire, and a cap or clamp to tit over said recess to confine the Wire therein, said cap or clamp having a head of approximately the Width ot' the wire, substantially as described.

25. A clamp for holding a wire comprising a plate or block having a recess provided with a shoulder at one side to receive the bent portion of a Wire, and a cap or clamp having a solid portion or head to tit against the Wire, and bifurcated sides to straddle the plate or block to hold the wire in said recess, substand tially as described. pulley for operatingsaid Wire, substantially 26. A clamp for holding a Wire comprising a plate or block having a recess provided with a shoulder at one side, a groove passing along said shoulder to receive the bent portion of a lWire, and a cap or clamp having'a head portion and bifurcated sides, and a groove in said head portion to iit against said Wire for holding said wire in said recess, substantially as described. Y

27. The combination of a rail and means for supporting the same, with a Wire and means for connecting said Wire With said rail comprising a plate or block pivotally connected with said rail and having a recess provided IIO with a shoulder to receive the bent portion'of nection having a loop or guide, a roller carthe wire, and a cap or clamp to It over said ried thereby and a rod receiving said loop or lo recess to hold the wire therein, and means for guide, substantially as described. supporting and operating the free end of said 1 5 wire, substantially as described. GUS AV s IAIL' 28. The combination of a rail, a receiving Witnesses: and projecting connection extending there- T. F. BOURNE, from, means for operating the same, said con- F. E. TURNER. 

